Journal Star Photos of the Month – June 2013

DAVID ZALAZNIK/JOURNAL STARJames Maughan rests in the arms of his mother, Angie, at Childrens Hospital of Illinois. James contracted bacterial meningitis on Mother’s Day leading to the amputation of a hand, a foot and part of the middle finger of his remaining hand.

RON JOHNSON/JOURNAL STARRyan Gehlsen talks with four-year old daughter Grace before she putts during the Lil’ Guys and Gals Golf Tournament.

RON JOHNSON/JOURNAL STARAs rolling clouds loom on the horizon, Lydia Roberts of Rochelle waits to roll out with other tank crews during a World War II re-enactment at Sommer Park.

RON JOHNSON/JOURNAL STARWWII veteran Larry Knight is overwhelmed by the welcoming crowd at the Greater Peoria Regional Airport on his return with fellow WWII, Korean, Vietnam and Gulf War veterans from their Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.

NICK SCHNELLE/JOURNAL STARMark Hall, driver of the monster truck Raminator, flies over cars during a performance at the Sam Leman Dodge dealership in Morton. Every year general manager Tom Bauer books the Raminator to perform at the dealership.

RON JOHNSON/JOURNAL STARLinda Shreffler of Pekin uses her sunflower-themed umbrella to avoid the raindrops while enjoying the classic cars on display at the third-annual Wings and Wheels Show at the Pekin Municipal Airport.

RON JOHNSON/JOURNAL STARPeoria Notre Dame players hug after their loss to Tinley Park in the state softball tournament.

NICK SCHNELLE/JOURNAL STARChildren play on a trampoline outside a home on the 2500 block of Northeast Madison Avenue.

DAVID ZALAZNIK/JOURNAL STARMike Fuller whips his line while casting at the Glen Oak Park lagoon.

FRED ZWICKY/JOURNAL STARRyan Phillips tries his best to drive the ball long with a very, very short driver as teams battle in a contest led by long-driving specialist Dan Boever at the 12th Annual Maui Jim / Children’s Home Charity Golf Classic at Country Club of Peoria.

RON JOHNSON/JOURNAL STARTen-year old Antrawn Pierso, far right, of Peoria tries to imitate the hip-hop dance moves of Joshua Dick and Joshua Battles, far left, of City Dance during a Big Brothers and Big Sisters program event at Hult Education Center in Peoria.

NICK SCHNELLE/JOURNAL STARCompetitors emerge from a mud pit as they make their way through obstacles on the Extreme Run at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe.

DAVID ZALAZNIK/JOURNAL STARDoug Curry, right, and his wife, Tracie, make their way from their home with the help of Doug’s father, Paul, left, after a flash flood surrounded their home on State Street in Mossville. The sudden force of the flood collapsed a basement wall in the home.

FRED ZWICKY/JOURNAL STARFor George Blackburn, the best solution after the flood of 2013 took his River Beach Townhouses hostage was to elevate the complex high into the air to avoid a similar fate in the future. Blackburn, along with his wife, Kim Hatfield-Blackburn, look over progress on the project as work crews unload more steel support beams along River Beach Road near Chillicothe.

NICK SCHNELLE/JOURNAL STARRisper Gesabwa wipes the sweat off her face after winning the women’s 4-mile run at the 40th running of the Steamboat Classic in Downtown Peoria.

FRED ZWICKY/JOURNAL STARTNA wrestling personality Ken Anderson puts young fans Max Johnson, left, and his brother, C.J., both of Peoria, into a headlock as he meets fans at the IHSA Peak Performance exhibition at Peoria Riverfront Museum.

RON JOHNSON/JOURNAL STARProfessional wrestling icon Hulk Hogan entertains the crowd at the live taping of Impact Wrestling for Spike TV at the Peoria Civic Center.

DAVID ZALAZNIK/JOURNAL STARFritz Klein leans forward to make a point in the role of Abraham Lincoln during “Lunch with Lincoln” at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. More than one hundred people joined Lincoln for the presentation that included a walk through the current Abraham Lincoln exhibit at the museum.

DAVID ZALAZNIK/JOURNAL STARIsabella Cruz, 14, uses food to entice a Jersey calf to the trailer under the direction of Barnyard Discoveries owner Ron Wasson.

NICK SCHNELLE/JOURNAL STARArea resident Dave Pardieck takes a close look at a tree that fell, knocking down power lines after storms brought heavy winds through the Peoria area.

FRED ZWICKY/JOURNAL STARPeoria celebrates being named one of only 10 All America Cities with new signage during a celebration press conference. The city won the award from the National Civic League in Denver following a citywide application process and a presentation process.

DAVID ZALAZNIK/JOURNAL STARPekin police K-9 officer Rob Jones carries his partner, Ahen, a three-year-old Dutch Shepherd, to the roof of Dunkin’ Donuts on Sterling Avenue in Peoria to join local law enforcement officers in their annual fundraising effort for Special Olympics.

FRED ZWICKY/JOURNAL STARJoey Mushinsky, 9, left, and Ryan Haynes, 11, work on their strength conditioning as young wrestlers in the Central Illinois Wrestling Academy work on mastering freestyle/Greco-Roman wrestling techniques. They are coached by Kevin Burk and his staff during sessions at the Peoria Notre Dame wrestling room.

Matt Dayhoff started as a photographer for the Journal Star in 1992 shortly after graduating from the Ohio University School of Visual Communications. In 2009, he moved into the newsroom as an online editor and producer and is now responsible for helping manage and edit much of the editorial content on pjstar.com.